but i think you're seeing some element of pragmatism, some understanding that obama really does hold the cards having campaigned on this, having won re-election, having, you know, the sort of default being on his side, which is that all these things go away at midnight on december 31st. i think you are starting to see some movement despite the rhetoric. the question is really i think for obama, you know. i think -- he will have a deal available to him to avoid going over the fiscal cliff, i think, in exchange for raising rates a bit. the question is, is it a good enough deal or does he just say it's not a good enough deal, i can get a better deal by going over the cliff and i prefer to do that? because you guys haven't moved toward me enough. >> david, the sentiment noam expressed is the same we heard from tim geithner a few days ago. we've had a number of congressmen on this show who have said the same thing. it does seem at least that the sentiment may be shifting from, you know, two or three weeks ago absolutely, no way, not going to go over the cliff, and now you have a lot of fo